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That Pitiful Strength
Your sensitivity to beauty becomes so deep that, when you react to something ugly, it might take you a moment to articulate the assumptions that formed your response. You remake, in other words, your emotional and intellectual world long before you ever encounter Wither or the Fairy or the N.I.C.E.
#184: Sermons of Christmas: Nick Lannon
For the last “Christmas Break” podcast, enjoy a sermon preached on Christmas Eve 2021 by the Rev. Nick Lannon. The text for the occasion was Isaiah 9:2-7.
You shall no more be termed Forsaken
So I was quite astonished to be wandering around the lections for this morning, and hear with fresh ears the verse that the current age loves to take and use as a cudgel of affirmation under the guise of unity and togetherness, but serves instead to diminish the close spiritual bond Christians do share, even when they don’t quite know it. I’m sure you’ve heard the verse—how could you not? “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus,” says Paul to the Galatians, for I can do all things by a verse taken out of context.
#183: Sermons of Christmas: Jady Koch
Enjoy this Christmas sermon preached on Christmas Eve 2021 by the Rev. Dr. Jady Koch at Christ Anglican Church, Mt. Pleasant.
#182: Sermons of Christmas: Matt Kennedy
With the three hosts taking a break from podcasting for Christmas, Stand Firm is excited to repost a Christmas sermon this week from the Rev. Matt Kennedy. Preached in 2022, this sermon took Luke 2:1-14 as its text.
You Needed A Miracle
The cynic in me might think he is just trying not to be canceled, being, at a glance, on the lowest rung of the hierarchy of “miracles.” What does he really have to offer, being a white man and probably cis? What sort of love does he have to give that might transform the darkness into light, the dry stream bed into a river, the hopeless into someone able to laugh at the days to come? If it’s anything like this sermon, I’m sorry to say that the effort falls far short of a “miracle.” What’s the opposite of a miracle? A desolation? Ordinary life? Making things worse?
#181: The Final Countdown: An Eschatology Conversation
Matt, Jady, and Nick discuss four major views of the end times and Revelation: full preterism, amillenialism, premillienialism, and postmillenialism. They outline the models and consider some arguments for and against each one.
Please Light All The Candles
Sometimes, truth be told, the darkness is kind of comfortable, easily endured with half lights by feeling around for familiar comforts and existential salve. But sometimes the darkness is so great that it can be felt. I think we are in such a time, where the darkness appears to be overpowering, the shadow has lengthened and stretched as more and more people stumble and grope for themselves.
#180: Moscow Rude? Doug Wilson, Kevin DeYoung, and Christian Rhetoric
Matt, Jady, and Nick discuss Kevin DeYoung’s recent critique of the “Moscow mood” and Doug Wilson’s response. They talk about the limits of strong language, the good and bad of Wilson (and co.), and what makes a compelling Christian argument.
When He Came Down
Photo by frank mckenna on Unsplash I've noticed a lot of different kinds of Christians talking about Advent in the last week who, I'm pretty sure, weren't contemplating such mysteries about ten years ago. It seems like a sort of social contagion, of the best kind....
#179: The (Advent)ure Begins: Waiting, Hoping, and the Start of the Church Year
Matt, Jady, and Nick discuss the season of Advent, talk about the whole arc of God’s saving work, and consider the Good News for which we’re asked to wait.
#178: Underwater Assurance: A Baptism Conversation with James Gad
Matt welcomes James Gad to discuss the doctrine of assurance and how it connects to baptism. They talk about the objective nature of Christ’s promises versus our often subjective views of the quality of our faith.
Let Me Tell You About Human Flourishing
But the third one is hunched over in some dark post soviet office block feeling angry. That line, “I knew you to be a hard man,” is so haunting. How did he know? Is that even true? Is the master “hard?” Does he really reap where he doesn’t sow?
#177: Routes to Rebirth: Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Conversion, and Evangelism
Matt, Anne, and Nick talk about Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s conversion, discuss what one must know (and believe) to call oneself a Christian, and consider the different ways people can and do come to saving faith.
Pope Francis, Bishop Strickland and the Limits of Tolerance
There are times to tolerate, but there are times to fight.
#176: Pulling the Lever for Jesus? Politics, Abortion, and the Morality of Voting
Matt, Jady, and Nick discuss the results of the 2023 election, talk about the moral weight of casting a vote, and consider abortion as a voting issue; past, present, and future.
Enough For What?
That is, they say they are deconstructing, or opening up the question, or showing you a way forward into some new, bright thing, but they are really only bending the path back, twisting it round so that you can’t see to climb up that dark hill to grasp the feet of that naked, cursed, alienated Man hanging on the tree. The work of “deconstruction” turns out to be the usual old-time religion, the one where you–not Jesus–you have to save the world.
#175: A Covenanted Communion: A Conversation with Phil Ashey
Matt, Jady, and Nick welcome the Rev. Canon Phil Ashey to the show, and discuss the possibility of covenanted Anglican Communion with mutual accountability, interdependence, and discipline at the global level.
#174: OK Zoomer: Reconquista and Recovering the Mainline
Matt, Jady, and Nick talk about the Reconquista Movement, a strategy to rescue mainline churches for orthodoxy. While there are some exciting and noble aspects to the plan, there are serious theological and ecclesial problems with it.
#173: Yearn and Burn: Desire, Sex, and Marriage
Matt, Jady, and Nick discuss recent online conversations about “same sex attracted” people and marriage, talk about God’s power to change us, consider biblical reasons for singleness, and remember that, in Christ, we are promised redemption.
Podcast
#160: No Thanks: A Response to Some Theses on Anglican Reunification
Matt, Jady, and Nick react to a recent article calling for ACNA and TEC to reconcile. They remember (again) the reasons for the “schism,” clarify (again) the severity of TEC’s offense, and say (again) that only repentance can lead to reconciliation.
#159: How to Read the Bible: The Unknown God Made Known
On this episode of the Stand Firm podcast, the hosts take a vacation! In their place, enjoy a lecture given by our own Jady Koch on how to read the Bible.
#158: The Body of Christ: Ministry, Women, and the Church
Matt, Jady, and Nick talk about women and their importance to the life of the church. They discuss different denominational traditions, the need for the full body to be doing ministry, and the God-honoring complementarity of men and women.
#157: A Stand Firm Conversation: The State of the SBC with Andrew Walker
Matt, Jady, and Nick talk to Dr. Andrew Walker of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary about the recent SBC Annual Meeting. They discuss the contentious issues, a resolution Dr. Walker co-authored, and the health of the denomination in general.
#156: Special Victims Unit? Social Injury, Cry Bullies, and Church Discipline
Matt, Jady, and Nick discuss victimhood culture, talk about the application of Matthew 18 in an online world, and (once again) rehearse the difference between public correction and private reconciliation.
#155: Mediocre Pride: June Fizzles, Elites Dig In, and the Foundational Nature of Families
Matt, Jady, and Nick talk about the relatively restrained nature of “Pride Month,” the tendency of evil to overreach, and how the family remains the most critical point of attack…and therefore defense.
#154: Rick Rolling: Pastor Warren, the SBC, and More on Women in Ministry
Matt, Jady, and Nick talk about Rick Warren’s continued fight against the current state of the SBC. They consider his arguments, chew over their implications, and look at some parallels to the ACNA.
#153: Church and State Separated? Uganda, Boycotts, and Living in a Pagan World
Matt and Jady discuss the notorious Ugandan anti-homosexuality legislation, talk about the ethics of boycotting, and consider how a Christian can live in good conscience in today’s world.
#152: PRIDE Cometh by the Fall: Kids, the Family, and Navigating June
Matt, Jady, and Nick discuss helping your kids endure “pride” month, talk about unavoidable catechesis, and encourage the faithful to hold to God’s truth in the face of the world’s lies.
#151: Cross Training? TEC, ACNA, and Preparing Ministers for a Broken Communion
Matt, Jady, and Nick discus two seminaries’ attempts to bridge the gap between TEC and ACNA, talk about what happens when fellowship is extended to wolves, and consider the impact of the Kigali Commitment on theological education.
#150: Trans in the Transept: Gender Confusion in the Church and in the World
Matt, Jady, and Nick talk about the trans issue at ground-level: how might it impact a local congregation? They discuss pastoral care strategies, potential church discipline, and the Good News for confused people.
#149: Law Mixed Up: Obedience, Holiness, and Legislating Morality
Matt, Jady, and Nick discuss a Ugandan law about homosexuality, talk about ordering societies according to biblical principles, and distinguish between the three different kinds of law in the Scriptures.
#148: A Vicar Near Dibley: The View from a British Parish
Jady and Nick talk to Tim Vasby-Burnie, vicar at St George’s Church, Shrewsbury, UK, about the recent goings-on in the Church of England and what life is like on the ground in a “normal” parish church in Great Britain.
#147: On Location at GAFCON23 (Day 5)
Matt, Jady, and Nick are joined by David Ould, Anne Kennedy, and Liza Koch to discuss the final day (and Commitment) of the GAFCON23 meeting in Kigali, Rwanda.
#146: On Location at GAFCON23 (Day 4)
Matt, Jady, and Nick are joined by Anne Kennedy to discuss the fourth day of the 2023 GAFCON Conference from Kigali, Rwanda.
#145: On Location at GAFCON23 (Day 3)
Matt, Jady, and Nick are joined by David Ould to discuss the third day of the 2023 GAFCON Conference from Kigali, Rwanda.
#144: On Location at GAFCON23 (Day 2)
Matt, Jady, and Nick discuss the second day of the 2023 GAFCON Conference from Kigali, Rwanda.
#143: On Location at GAFCON23 (Day 1)
Matt and Jady discuss the first day of the GAFCON conference from Kigali, Rwanda.
Stand Firm in Kigali
We’ve committed ourselves to churning out at least a half-hour Stand Firm Podcast each day of the conference
#142: What Dreams May Come: GAFCON23 and the Worldwide Anglican Communion
Jady and Nick have a conversation about their upcoming trip to Rwanda, their hopes and dreams for the GAFCON gathering, and how encouraging it is to be in a communion so committed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ